The Lucan: Standalone branded residences that embody the spirit of Chelsea
When the trend exploded a few years ago, the draw of a branded residence was that it shared the services of a hotel. But what if you dropped the hotel while retaining the perks?
The rise of the branded residence shows no sign of abating, with homes managed by a luxury brand continuing to gain in popularity with buyers across the globe. While traditional branded residences are usually connected to a hotel, however, HNWIs now have the choice to live in exclusively residential developments, which still offer the services of the affiliated brand. Enter the standalone branded residence.
One such residence offering this new, more private, proposition is The Lucan, the first standalone Autograph Collection residence in Marriott’s Global Residential portfolio. Managed by Mariott International, the property offers its residents the comforts of home with the services of a hotel. Namely, access to chauffeurs, personal trainers, housekeeping, a gym, a 24-hour valet service and a concierge simply referred to as The Luminary, which provides a mixture of everyday, exclusive and on-demand services ranging from housekeeping and travel to groceries, wellbeing, in-house tailoring, private dining and experience-sourcing.
Completion for The Lucan is projected for Q4 of this year, at which point the development will encompass 31 residences, in addition to a penthouse which will occupy the entire top floor. Architect Kohn Pedersen Fox took inspiration from The Lucan’s Chelsea locale, specifically the area’s Victorian- and Georgian-era mansions: the sleek façade is a warm red brick complemented by Art Deco green tiling, while an injection of modernity comes courtesy of cool aluminium and minimalist glass accents.
Interiors studio Rive Gauche, meanwhile, has created ‘Chelsea boutique’-style homes at The Lucan, which emanate a blend of contemporary design and timeless elegance. Inside the development, rooms are filled with natural light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows designed to open up as balconies. Find pearly marble floors, polished plaster wall panelling, and glass chandeliers, all cast in tones of gold, brass and cream. Art Deco touches are echoed in marble mosaic bathroom floors.
According to the development, the residences are designed to be as bold and bright as the Chelsea surrounds, and those who live there – people that know about, or even remember, Chelsea’s heyday as a cultural stomping ground in the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s, when the King’s Road felt like the centre of the universe.
Indeed, one of the biggest draws of The Lucan is its location: it resides on a site with no adjoining buildings in a charming residential enclave, moments from Chelsea Green and landmarks such as the Saatchi Gallery, Harrods and, of course, the King’s Road. Living here ideally places residents to indulge in Chelsea’s dining, drinking and shopping scenes, as well as moments of serenity, being a 15-minute walk from the Thames Pathway and Chelsea Embankment, as well as within striking distance of the neighbourhood’s many leafy gardens and historic parks.
The Lucan’s designation as a standalone branded residence positions it at the cutting edge of a market constantly trying to unlock the next level of luxury. Its Chelsea home, however, is an attribute that will never go out of style.
Prices start from £1,831,500. For more information, visit thelucan.net
